We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions

I was raised on both Folk and Rock music and absolutely love this album; anyone expecting just Rock or just Folk will probably be disappointed. Anyone expecting the Big Man to start blowing his sax, or Roy Bittan to start pounding the keys might want to approach this CD with more of an open mind: the album is a blend of American music forms--Rock, Folk, Gospel, and New Orleans Jazz--and should be listened to as such. As another reviewer pointed out, too many people seem to be waiting for the Second Coming of "Born to Run." Springsteen is too talented an artist, and his interests and influences too diverse, to confine himself to formula or repetition. As he mentions in the documentary on the DVD side of this release, there is a difference between "playing" music and "creating" music. I think Springsteen achieved his creative goal. I've listened to Seeger all my life and love Springsteen's approach to Seeger's music. I especially like Springsteen's having changed "Mrs. McGrath" from a major key--as it is in Seeger's version--to a minor key. Several people have commented on the lack of clarity in "Shennandoah," but I think this was intentional: Springsteen seems to have taken a Tom Waits approach to the song, singing in a gruff, just-off-the-beat manner. A singer/songwriter of Springsteen's talent and experience wouldn't have recorded such a version of the song by accident. The DVD portrays the spirit of fun and spontaneity (and alcohol) in which this CD was produced. Enjoy it.

From the perspective of the career of Pete Seeger, "We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions" is not what you might expect because if you think this is going to be a collection of covers of the greatest songs written by the American folk icon, then you are gong to be surprised and possibly disappointed. "Where Have All the Flowers Gone?," "If I Had a Hammer," and "Turn, Turn, Turn" are not going to be found here. The most recognizable song would be the title track, the song Seeger based on a spiritual that became the anthem of the Civil Rights movement. But this baker's dozen collection of tracks more about traditional songs that Seeger performed that Bruce Springsteen is passing along to a new generation. The second most recognizable song would probably be the last one, "Froggie Went a Courtin'" (which has been around at least since 1549), although "Erie Canal" would have to be second on that list. If you have any passing familiarity with American folk music then "Shenandoah," "John Henry," and "Old Dan Tucker" should be recognizable as well. Then again, this album is not what you would expect from a Bruce Springsteen album, given that the Boss has never done a cover album before. He has done a few notable covers, from Tom Wait's "Jersey Girl" and Patti Smith's "Because the Night" to "War" and "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town," so it is interesting that Springsteen would suddenly decide to do it for an entire album. Seeger is certainly a legend, and if this album introduces a new generation of fans to his work so much the better. But having watched Springsteen fail (by his standard anyway) with his acoustic albums "Nebraska," "The Ghost of Tom Joad," and "Devils & Dust," it is interesting to see what happens when he takes his acoustic guitar and backs it up a full folk music ensemble recording LIVE, without rehearsals, in three one-day sessions cut in 1997, 2005 and 2006. The irony is that those other acoustic efforts sound more like Seeger's work than this album, because most Seeger recordings are just him playing his banjo. But if you flip the CD over for the DVD side of the disc you can see the recording of some of these tracks and that what you think was going on in the studio from listening to these tracks is just what you see. Plus there are a couple of bonus tracks on the other side, "Buffalo Gals" and "How Can I Keep from Singing." The background on this 2006 album is that Springsteen was working on putting together a second album of "Tracks," collecting his rarities, when he came across a set of recordings he had made in 1997 for the Seeger tribute album, "Where Have All the Flowers Gone: The Songs of Pete Seeger." The only contribution from Springsteen ended up being "We Shall Overcome" on the album which had 39 tracks recorded by everyone from the Weavers and Peter, Paul & Mary to the Indigo Girls and Ani Difranco. This inspired Springsteen to record an entire album of folk tunes that Pete Seeger had popularized, and some of the musicians he brought together for this album had played on those sessions back in 1997. The liner notes by Dave Marsh provide a brief introduction on the background of each song. For example, "Old Dan Tucker," is: "An antique fiddle tune, often used for square dances, made famous around 1843 when Dan Emmett, one of the greatest early minstrel singers, wrote a version of these lyrics for his group, the Virginia Minstrels." You have to admire the mix of brevity and detail, which contrasts nicely with the rollickin' good time these musicians have in the studio. I find these songs addictive, and while they are not everybody's cup of tea, they have my toe tappin' through constant replay.

I didn't own any Bruce Sprinsteen albums, but a friend said she'd been a fan since she heard this. I'm a Seeger fan, so I thought I'd give it a try. I was not disappointed. Many songs I remember from my youth. Great performances. A good addition to any collection, especially if you like folk.

For anyone who attended New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival in 2006 and heard Bruce Springsteen play with this group of musicians, this CD will bring back haunting memories of the emotional rollercoaster everyone was on at that event.

My title is a direct quote from Springsteen found inside the front cover of the booklet accompanying this fantastic CD. I first heard many of the cuts a couple of weeks ago when I stumbled, quite by accident, upon the video associated with this on the documentary channel. I immediately fell in love with it...in fact, I wake up every morning with the music of at least one song turning over and over in my head. As a kid I learned to play the accordion...back when many people made fun of it and thought it was a joke to even consider it as a serious musical instrument. In recent years I've begun to enjoy accordion music, which is especially obvious on this album. It is delightful to listen to and dance with. In fact, I really love all the instruments throughout the songs. The voices are harmonious, too. I appreciate that Springsteen seems so taken with the process of making music and he outdoes himself in sharing that very wonderful process. The energy of the musicians and the music they make is so contagious! This album is a definite stress-reducer...as the songs all have a powerful beat. I had read that I might experience difficulty playing the CD because it is a DualDisc. But I received it today and have played both the CD audio side and the DVD side with no complications.

The few negative reviews I see about this wonderful cd must come from people unfamiliar with the rich tradition of American Folk music which Bruce Springsteen and his band have brought to life in these sessions. Inspired from doing a a version of 'We Shall Overcome' for a Pete Seeger tribute album in 1997, the boss recorded an hour's worth of traditional music here in spontaneous recordings which are remarkable for their spirit. These are songs that Pete Seeger and other folkies have recorded over the years. I only wish that Bruce had recorded a couple of more songs that Pete Seeger wrote - such as 'Bells of Rhymney' or 'Turn, Turn, Turn', but the cd is so full of good music (with a killer horn section, no less) that this is just a subjective opinion, and I hope there is a follow-up. Whether doing a version of the uptempo sailing protest song 'Pay Me My Money Down' or a haunting version of 'Eyes on the Prize', Bruce's singing is on the mark and the listener can tell by the emotion put into the songs that he was totally invested in this project. This cd should bring a lot of people who haven't heard this type of traditional American music to a greater appreciation of this art form. I haven't even watched the DVD on the dual side of the disc yet, and I am totally thrilled with the album.

Ok, I admit, I more than flinched when I thought about the concept of an album of "Bruce Springsteen Does Pete Seeger." An image of "The Boss" seated in a rocking chair, plucking on a banjo, talking more than singing, scared me considerably. So...when I sat down to listen to this CD, I was overjoyed to hear the triumphant strains and robust accompaniment of the seldom recorded "Old Dan Tucker" (my dad's favorite song) and then things just got better from there. Fat "wall-of-sound" horns, banjos, fiddles, accordians, drums, guitars and background vocals throughout!! The music slows down only for the occasional taking of a breath, and even then it manages to cause the toes to tap. In all honesty, this album owes more to works like "Folkways: A Vision Shared" a tribute to Woody Guthrie, than it owes to Seeger. The accordians and fiddles remind me more of John Mellencamp's "folkier" line ups than they do Seeger's sparsely accompanied works. When he arrived on the scene with his E-Street Band decades ago, Bruce was hailed as "The Next Bob Dylan." It was hard to quite see the stylistic parallel then. It is not hard now. Vocal lines "spat out" with great emotion. Way to go, Bruce. Let's see who you honor next time!! Suggestion: The underappreciated New Orleans R&B legend Ernie K-Doe.

I am usually highly cynical of the attempts by musicians to record jazz standards and the like. They come across to me like pandering to the aging baby boomer market. Rockers singing Johnny Mercer is about as genuine as Pat Boone singing heavy metal. Then we have this recording by Bruce Springsteen. I absolutely love this CD. My six year old boy loves it. I am a fan, but not a fanatic, of traditional music and to my dilettante's ear Mr Springsteen has gotten it right. I loved the intense Bruce of "The River" and this collection comes across as a natural outgrowth of that side of his musical explorations, but maybe with a dose of Effexor as these songs tend to the more bouncy happy spiritual side of life. But when he does go down to the darkside, such as in the song "Mrs. McGrath" the pain and anger are palpable. As I said, my six year old loves this CD as well but since the songs Mrs McGrath and Jesse James provoked so many questions and tribulations we don't listen to it at bedtime anymore. I had to spend some considerable time researching Robert Ford and John Henry to explain the songs. All that aside the music plays like a house on fire. I believe that everone will have a favorite in this collection that will cause their toes to tap.

Nota 10! Muito bom, tanto o CD quanto o DVD!

曲、ジャンルに関しては好みが分かれるところがあると思います。 ただ、録音はよく、スプリングスティーンの活動の幅広さを実感できるＬＰです。 ロックンローラー・スプリングスティーンが好きな人はよけておいたほうがいいと思います。

I wouldn't have described myself as a great Springsteen fan until recently when I discovered his acoustic albums. These piqued my interest in what other work of his I might enjoy. I was rather taken with the idea of The Seeger Sessions being recorded in his farm living room with musicians playing acoustic instruments. So I put my prejudices about Pete Seeger's music being worthy but a bit tame on hold and ordered this. I am really glad I did. It is a marvellous acquisition. The songs are great and the musicians are superb. Springsteen's gritty lead vocals and a full-throated chorus of backing vocals drive the songs forward and remove any feeling of tweeness, even from "Froggie Went A Courtin'" ! Adding a brass section to an already excellent band boosted the power of the arrangements which were fresh and invigoratingly rough edged. This version of "Mary Don't You Weep" is worth the price of the cd and there are other gems too. And of course you also get a "making of" Dvd too which not only lets you see the interior of the Springsteen's house but also how the sessions were run. All in all a thoroughly enjoyable watch and listen and thankfully nothing like my memories of Seeger.

Toll - besonders der DVD-Teil - man wird soooo mitgerissen! Das Video kann man immer wieder angucken:)

excellent...